Bio

Andrés Iniesta Luján, usually known more simply as Andrés Iniesta, was born in Fuentealbilla, Albacete on 11 May 1984. Regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time and one of the best footballers of his generation, Iniesta is known for his passing ability, creativity, work ethic and his versatility, which has seen him play in a number of different positions. Primarily an attacking central midfielder, he has developed a strong partnership with Xavi, which has been a feature in the play of both Barcelona and Spain.

A graduate of Barcelona's La Masia academy, where he enrolled at the age of 12 and eventually became captain, Iniesta made the step up to the senior side as an 18 year old in 2002 and became a regular in the team from 2004 onwards. Over the course of the next few years, he made a huge contribution towards the team's enormous success, which included winning multiple La Liga and Champions League titles and an unprecedented six trophies in 2009.

Iniesta's superb performances for Barcelona have resulted in him being awarded numerous individual honours, including the La Liga Spanish Player of the Year Award in 2009 and the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award in 2012. The 2011-12 season also saw him named as the UEFA Champions League's Best Player.

At international level, Iniesta has achieved success with Spain at both youth and senior levels, starting with winning the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship in 2001 and the Under-19 Football Championship the following year. In both 2008 and 2012, he helped the senior team to win the European Championship and was named as the Player of the Tournament for the latter. However, the defining moment of his international career occurred in 2010, when he scored the winning goal in the FIFA World Cup final. He was subsequently named as Man of the Match and was also included in the World Cup All-Star Team.

Barcelona star Andres Iniesta maintains belief that the Catalan side are the best attacking outfit in football, despite Luis Enrique departing from their classical style somewhat this season... Read more